Lowering Utility Bills

Does anyone really like to open their monthly utility bill and see just how high it can really be? Lowering utility bills is about as high up on the wish list of every adult as it can possibly get. While it is entirely possible to lower your utility bills, but nothing can ever really be done without a cost of some sort. In order to get your utility bills as low as possible, you will need to make a few sacrifices.

• Dimmer switches can help. Instead of living with either complete dark, or total light, why not use only as much light as you really need. A dimmer switch can allow you to do this. With a dimmer switch installed you will be able to set the light in your rooms to only what you may need.
• Keep the fridge full. Surprisingly a full fridge will use less energy than an empty or half full fridge. Keep your fridge as full as you possibly can, and you will be amazed at how much it will lower your electricity bill.
• Air dry your laundry. Dryers use an awful lot of energy, and one way that you can help lower your utility bill is to allow your clothes to air dry. Generally speaking you really only want to use this method to dry your clothes when it is warm outside so that the clothes will dry as quickly as possible.
• Check for heat loss. There are infrared cameras that you can use to help you determine what, if any, type of heat loss you may be experiencing in your home. With the pictures from this camera in hand, you can easily identify any potential problems and get them addressed and repaired as quickly as possible.
• Insulate your outlets and switches. You can lose a surprising amount of heat and energy by not having your outlets and light switches properly insulated, particularly if the outlet or switch is located alongside an exterior wall. Often all you will need to do to fix this problem is to simply purchase some specialized outlet and switch plate seals from your local home improvement store.
• Use a programmable thermostat. It is estimated that you can save up to 10% on your utility bill by simply installing a programmable thermostat if you don't already have one. These thermostats will allow you to set your desired temperature without the dramatic fluctuations in temperature that you can often see in homes without these types of thermostats.
• Low-flow is the way to go. Replace existing showerheads, faucets, toilets, and water using appliances with the low-flow options. Oftentimes you can get just as good results with the low-flow options and use a lot less water in the process. The less water you use, then the lower your water bill will be.
• Use cold water when possible. Whenever possible use cold water instead of hot water. For example, when washing your clothes utilize cold water instead of the more energy intensive hot water. It has been estimated that about 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is used to only heat your water.